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2 Sheets-Sheet l CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATI NG APPARATUS Nov. 8, 1927 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATBS ROBERT ALEXANDER STRGEON, 0F BRIGHOUSE, ENGLAND.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATING AFPARATUS.

Application filed September 24, 1926, Serial No. 137,597, and in Great Britain October 1, 1925.

This invention relates to centrifugal separating apparatus of the kind in which the solid particles are intermittently discharged without stopping the rotation of the machine, and has for its object to provide an improved form of such apparatus in which the liquid is subjected to an additional centrifuging before leaving the machine.

The centrifugal separating apparatus comprises a nest of cones mounted to rotate within a separating cylinder and an operating cylinder mounted to rotate together with the cones. The operating cylinder contains a piston and means are provided for admitting liquid to each side of the piston in turn so as to produce relative axial movement between the piston and cylinder, the centrifugal pressure of the liquid so admitted causing such relative axial movement and this movement being utilized to control the discharge opening for the separated solids.

Preferably the separating and operating cylinders are combined into a single cylindrical casing mounted concentrically with a hollow shaft through which is admitted the liquid to be treated and to this shaft is secured a piston7 which divides the casing into two parts, one of which constitutes the separating cylinder and the other the operating cylinder. lVithin the upper part or separating cylinder is disposed the nest of cones secured to the shaft and within the lower part or operating cylinder an axially ixed piston is provided. Normally the upper end of the casing bears against a cover secured to the shaft so as to make a fluid tight j oint. Means are provided for admitting liquid to each side of the lower piston in turn, the centrifugal pressure of the liquid so admitted serving to raise or lower the casing as a whole. When the casing is lowered, the joint between its upper end and the fixed cover is broken and the separated solid matter is discharged, the feed of liquid to be treated being at the same time suspended. After the solid matter has been discharged the casing is raised again and the feed of liquid is restarted.

The invention may be carried out in various ways but one construction according thereto is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which elevation with the cylinders in the lowermost position1 and Figure Q is a view similar to Figure l with the cylinders in the raised position.

In the construction illustrated in the drawing the apparatus comprises an external casing A provided with a cover A1 through which projects a rotatable hollow shaft B mounted in ball bearings B1, B2. `Within the casing A and mounted so as to be axially movable on the shaft B is an inner cylindrical casing divided into two parts C1, C2 by a piston D secured to the shaft and having an axially fixed cover C3. Within the part C1 of the casing is disposed a nest of cones E which together with the upper part C1 of the casing forms the separator. A second piston F is secured to the shaft inside the lower part C2 of the casing and two flanges F1 and F2 are provided on the shaft immediately above and below the piston respectively so as to form two channels F 3 and F4. A baille plate le"s is also provided in the plane of the piston F in order to prevent the passage of liquid past this point.

At the upper end of the apparatus is a pipe G connected to a second pipe H mounted within the shaft B so as to rotate therewith and communicating at its lower end with the space B3 between the piston D and the baille F5. The pipe H is also provided at its lower end with helical vanes H1. At the bottom of the hollow shaft B is a pipe J opening into the space B" below the battle F5.

The liquid to be treated is fed into a tank K at the top of the apparatus and passes into the hollow shaft through the filter B1s and feed pipe B". It is taken up by the helical vanes H1 and enters the se arating cylinder C1, through the passages The solid matter is thrown by centrifugal force against the wall of the cylinder C1 and remains there while the liquid passes through the cones E and is discharged at L1 into the outlet conduit M.

Within the operating cylinder C2 and above the piston F is an internal radially projecting baffle N, and above this baiile is an exhaust port O. The piston F is maintained in position by means of a sleeve extension F which engages with a screwed collar P, and immediately below the piston F is an expansible valve ring R which serves to control ports S in the walls of the cylinder C2. Be-

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low the valve ring lt is a circular plate or disc R1 provided with a sleeve extension l?? adapted to slide on the sleeve F6 ot the piston F;

In operation the machine is started up with the cylinders C1 and C2 in their' lowerf most position (Figure l), resting,- on the screwed collar l?. llhen the proper running speed is attained, water is admitted through the pipe (if into the hollow shaft and passes down the pipe ll into space B3 between the piston F and the baille N. Thence it passes into the cylinder C through the; channels F3. .fis the cylinder fills up, the; centrifugal pressure oit the water acting upwards on-the battle il and downwards on the piston F raises the casing; C1, C? into the position shown in Figure 2 until its upper edge` malres Contact with the cover Cf. rhe upper part C1 oi the casing forming the separator is thereby closed and the water ente-ring` through the pipe lil is then turned ed. Theliquid to be treated is then ted into the tanlr K and passes through the tilter B and eedpipe B into the hollow shaft B. It is talrenupvby the venes H1 and enters the separating cylinder C1 through the pas1 sages L as already described. The separated solids adhere to the walls oit the cylinder C1 and the liquid passes out through the passages L1 into the conduit M. lhen the centrituging process has been carried outto the 'desired entent the yteerd of liquid to be treated is cut olif andwater is admitted t-o the underside ot the piston li through the pipe J. This water passes up through the space B'1 within the hollow shaft B below the battle F5 and enters the cylinder C2 through the channels F4. As soon as the radial depth ot the water below the piston F eX- ceeds that ot the water above the piston the casing CEC? begins to descend. its it does so the water above the piston F is forced out through the discharge port O. The casing in descending?, carries withit the valve ring R until the latter is arrested owingto the sleeve R2 coming into contact-'with the' screwed collar l).

The casing jnow continues to descend leavingy the ring R behinch and the movement ot the ring; relatively to the cashierv uncovers the port-s @r inthe walls ot the latter and allows the water to escape (see Figure l). y The downward movement of the casing C1, C2 breaks the contact between its upper edge and `the cover C3 and the surface liquid in the separating cylinder y is allowed to escape through slots T into a trough U whence it is passed through a pipe U1 torretreatment. As thecasing continues to descend it leaves the-'solid matter unsupported sothat it is discharged by vcentrifugal torce into a chamber V tromwhioh it is`v` collected throughopenings V1. lhen the casing has reached its lowermost position all the solids have been discharged and the wass insegno ter supplied through the pipe l is cut olf. `Water is then again admitted through the pipe G and the casingg1 rises as before until it again makes tight the joint between its up per edge and lthe cover C3. :Duringr the last part ot the upward movement ot the casing the valverinrr E comes iiito 'Contact with the piston F and is moved back into its 'former position so that it again covers the ports S tlTitrui-'eQ).A The supplyot water through the pipe G is then cut ott and the machine is ready to receiveI another charge oit liquid to be treated. The water discharged from the `operatingl cylinder C2 through the ports O i and 5l' isr collected. in the outer casing A and removed through a pipe A2.

rlfhe motive power is supplied to the ma chine through gears il?, W71 and drives the appara-tus continuously, the cycle ot operations being;l repeated indefinitely without stopping the rotation ot' the machinei` lileansj not forming' any part of thefpresent invention, are provided tory supplying water to each side ot` the operating piston F in turn7 suchineans being actuated by the axial movement oi the casing C15 C2.

ll'hat l claim as my invention and desire to secure; by Letters Patent is zf e l. ln centrifugal separating apparatus the combination oit a-separating cylinder, a nest of cones mounted to rotate within the separatingl cylinder, an operating cylinder mounted to rotate together with the cones, a piston disposed within the operating cylinder, said piston and cylinder beingV Vcapable oit vrelative arial movement, means :for ad mitting liquid to each side 'of thev piston in mitting liquidi' to'each side of the piston in turn and anoperative connection between the operatingcylinder and the separating cylinder such thatthe relative a al movement of the operating cylinder and the pistondue to the centrifugal pressure oi" the liquidadrnit- Ated thereto causes the separatingcylinder to` move relative-ilyy to thecones so as to control the discharge opening Vfor the separated solids.

3. In centrifugal separating apparatus the parts, a nest of cones mounted on the hollow shaft within the upper portion of the casing, a cover secured to the hollow shaft above the cones against which the top of the casing normally bears to form a fluid-tight separating chamber, a second piston secured to the hollow shaft within the lower part of the casing, means for admitting liquid to each side of the lower piston in turn and means whereby the centrifugal pressure of the liquid so admitted causes the casing to move so as to make and break alternately the joint between the casing and its cover in order to permit an intermittent discharge of the separated solids.

4. In centrifugal separating apparatus the combination of a separating cylinder, a nest of cones mounted to rotate within the separating cylinder, an axially movable operating cylinder mounted to rotate together with the cones, an axially fixed piston disposed within the operating cylinder, means for admitting liquid to each side of the piston in turn, an operative connection between the operating cylinder and the separating cylinder such that the movement of the operating cylinder due to the centrifugal pressure of the liquid admitted thereto causes the separating cylinder to move relatively to the cones so as to control the discharge opening for the separated solids and a valve ring disposed within the operating cylinder and operated by the movement of said cylinder to control a discharge opening for the water within the operating cylinder.

5. In centrifugal separating apparatus the combination of a rotatable hollow shaft, a. cylindrical casing axially movable relatively to the hollow shaft, a piston rigidly secured to the hollow shaft so as to divide the casing into two parts an upper separating cylinder and a lower operating cylinder, a nest of cones mounted on the hollow shaft within the separating cylinder` a cover secured to the hollow shaft above the cones against which the top of the casing normally bears to form a fluid-tight separating chamber, a second piston secured to the hollow shaft within the operating cylinder, means for admitting liquid to each side of the lower piston in turn, i

a discharge valve for the liquid below the piston operated by the axial movement of the casing due to the centrifugal pressure of the liquid, a radial baiile projecting into the space above the lower piston and against which the centrifugal pressure of the liquid acts to lower the casing and an opening above the baffle through which the liquid above the piston is discharged during the downward movement of the casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON. 

